Legal Pursuit of General Soleimani Assassination Case
WANA (Jan 01) – In the early hours of January 3, 2020, General Qasem Soleimani was assassinated in a terrorist attack at Baghdad Airport, ordered by then-U.S. President Donald Trump.
After the assassination of General Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in this U.S.-led operation, which was explicitly acknowledged by the U.S. administration, the act sparked widespread international reactions. This blatant terrorist action, conducted against high-ranking official guests of Iraq, drew condemnation from world leaders, who urged Iran to exercise restraint in response to the attack. In the wake of these international reactions, the Iranian nation immediately demanded the legal pursuit of this crime in international courts.
Issuing arrest warrant for 73 people in the assassination case of Gen Soleimani
WANA (May 8 ) – Tehran Prosecutor Ali Salehi announced today that to identify the accused and document the assassination case of Martyr Soleimani and his companions, more than 800 letters and judicial orders were issued. We collected more than 12 thousand pages of judicial documents in 60 volumes of the case. According to […]
Following the news of Soleimani’s assassination, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran emphasized in a statement: “Martyrdom was the reward for his tireless efforts over the years. With his departure, by the will and power of God, his work and path will not come to a halt. However, severe revenge awaits the criminals whose dirty hands were stained with his blood and the blood of his companions. Martyr Soleimani is a global face of resistance, and all those loyal to resistance will seek justice for him.
Friends and enemies alike should know that the path of resistance will continue with renewed motivation, and a definitive victory awaits those on this blessed path. The loss of our devoted and beloved commander is bitter, but continuing the struggle and achieving ultimate victory will make life bitterer for his murderers.”
From the early days following General Soleimani’s assassination, successive Iranian administrations prioritized the legal pursuit of the case.
Initial Legal Steps in Iran
In March 2020, Ebrahim Raisi, then-head of Iran’s Judiciary, underscored the multifaceted dimensions of this terrorist act—spanning international, political, military, legal, and judicial aspects. He highlighted that the legal and judicial
components fell under the judiciary’s jurisdiction and called for all relevant institutions to expedite the collection and submission of necessary evidence.
He stressed that “the legal and judicial measures in the Soleimani assassination case must be precise, well-documented, scientific, and legally robust. Beyond condemning the U.S., this case must become a testament to the disgrace of the ruling system in America and expose its moral bankruptcy to global public opinion. The case must be pursued simultaneously in the courts of Iran, Iraq, and international judicial forums. General Soleimani was an official guest of the Iraqi government, assassinated on Iraqi soil by foreign forces. Furthermore, during my discussion with Iraq’s judiciary, there is a clear will to address this case, and a judicial delegation from Iran will be sent to Iraq for cooperation.”
General Qassem Soleimani who was assassinated by the Americans in Iraq – Social Media / WANA News Agency
Efforts by the Foreign Ministry
In January 2021, Mohammad Javad Zarif, then-Foreign Minister of Iran, referred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ efforts in securing a condemnation of the U.S. from the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Killings. He reiterated that the assassination case of General Soleimani and his companions would be pursued in both Iranian and Iraqi courts.
He pointed out Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council’s issuance of an arrest warrant for Donald Trump, stating that this was achieved through persistent efforts by Iran’s Foreign Ministry and other institutions.
Killers of General Soleimani wanted by Iran
WANA – For the first time, the names and faces of members of General Qassem Soleimani’s assassination team, which launched drone airstrike in Baghdad International Airport, on January 3, 2020 were published. (Qassem Soleimani’s assassinators) In this list, the names of prominent American military and security figures are visible. Tehran is still determined to […]
Expert Opinions on International Law
Given the public demand for legal action, media outlets continuously analyzed the legal and judicial dimensions of the case. In February 2021, Mohammad Ali Bemanij Qajar, an expert in international law, emphasized: “The assassination of a senior Iranian military official on an official mission invited by a friendly state constitutes clear state terrorism. It violates Iraq’s and Iran’s sovereignty, breaches the principle of equality among states in international law, and constitutes organized crime and murder, violating fundamental human rights norms and diplomatic immunities. General Soleimani, as an official guest of Iraq, was entitled to diplomatic immunity.”
He further argued: “The U.S., by assassinating General Soleimani, has violated jus cogens norms in international law, which are binding principles. This act can and should be classified as an international crime under international law.”
Iran’s President Seyed Ebrahim Raisi holds up a picture of Quds Force Commander General Qassem Soleimani, who was assassinated in a U.S. attack, as he addresses the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. Headquarters in New York City, U.S., September 21, 2022. WANA (West Asia News Agency) / President office
Continued Efforts Under the 13th Administration
The pursuit of Soleimani’s assassination case did not end with the previous administration. The 13th administration prioritized this case as a legal and international issue.
In September 2023, Mohammad Dehghan, Legal Affairs Vice President under the Raisi administration, stated in a televised interview: “The assassination case of Martyr Soleimani is one of the most significant cases under the responsibility of the Legal and International Affairs Center of the President’s Office. Following the assassination, there was debate in the country about how to handle this case. In the 13th administration, the case was pursued professionally, consulting international legal experts to build a robust case.”
He announced that Iran was prepared to file a lawsuit over Soleimani’s assassination. In September 2023, the necessary warnings were sent to the U.S. Under the rules of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), if the U.S. does not respond within six months, Iran will officially file its case with the ICJ by Spring 2024.
IRGC commander: “We will kill the murderers of General Soleimani”
WANA (May 30) – General Hajizadeh’s answer to a question about revenge for the blood of General Soleimani: “We are looking for them; We will catch them.” The Commander of the Aerospace Forces of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) at the University of Science and Technology in Tehran said: “If the perpetrators […]
Progress in Domestic and International Courts
In November 2023, Abbasali Kadkhodaei, head of the special legal committee for pursuing Soleimani’s assassination, announced: “On the domestic front, significant progress has been made. We thank the judiciary for advancing the legal and criminal aspects of the case. The indictment has been prepared and submitted to the court. If there are gaps, the case will be returned to the prosecutor’s office for completion.”
He also acknowledged the challenges of pursuing the case internationally but emphasized that extensive consultations with international lawyers were ongoing.
Court Sessions and Key Legal Arguments
Over the past five years, four court sessions have been held in Iran to address this case. The indictment included references to historic U.S. hostility against Iran, such as the 1953 CIA-led coup, support for terrorist groups, and other anti-Iranian actions. In the most recent session, held in late December 2024, the prosecutor stated: “The U.S., by assassinating Martyr Qasem Soleimani, violated numerous international norms. There is no precedent for targeting such a high-ranking military official from another nation. Soleimani faced multiple assassination attempts by U.S. military and intelligence forces.”
Key arguments in the indictment included violations of diplomatic immunity, breaches of international law, and the illegality of U.S. actions under both Iranian and Iraqi law. The judge adjourned the case for further review in future sessions.
Iran Follows Legal and Judicial Authorities for Gen.Soleimani’s Assassination
WANA (Nov 16) – On Friday, Iran’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations stated that Iran follows legal and judicial authorities through the assassination of Gen.Soleimani, which Trump ordered. This response followed questions from U.S. media about alleged written assurances that Iran has no plans to target U.S. President Donald Trump. The mission emphasized […]
Future Expectations
As the fifth anniversary of General Soleimani’s assassination approaches, there is growing anticipation that the legal and judicial pursuit of this case will yield tangible results in the near future. This expectation coincides with the possibility of Donald Trump returning to office as the President of the United States.
A sentence by Martyr Soleimani in Hebrew: “Every night, thinking about defeating enemies.”
